Spiti Valley Ride (Gue-Dhankhar-Mud) – Vol#4

It was journey’s fifth day and still we were hungry for exotic world landscapes. The upcoming day was more exciting because of en-route dramatic hills, roads, rivers and un-parallel countryside sceneries. We kept the fire flames in our belly to ride as much we can and satisfy our wanderlust devil. This day had more excitement than previous as we had plans to see a ‘Mummy’ in Gue Village, the very thought of Mummy puts a person in horrific fantasy world because we have seen only in movies and this day it was a day where we would be experiencing it in real.

‘Dhankhar’ and ‘Mud Village’ in ‘Pin Valley’ were also planned after lunch and that too accessing it on beautiful and daredevil Tabo-Kaza road. Tabo-Kaza road is beyond imagination, its countryside sceneries, topography, cosmic landscapes, vivid and picturesque beauty cannot be defined in just one page or blog. Its beauty seduces the travelers to ride here again and again even though it is hard to ride Spiti. It’s hardly matters to a nature lover if the journey is easy or hard, their only concern is the extreme passion and lust for vistas.

Hotels Info: Pin Parvaty, Tara Café and Sagnam are good home stays in Mud Village. There are no luxury hotels or Guest Houses, it only has the option of home stays but owners provide all kind of facilities in budget.

Day 5: Started early but still we had to wait as overnight landslide was not clear, once traffic resumed, we also ignited our love for ride and headed for Sumdo on these adventure roads.

Sumdo Check Post

Reached Sumdo in in a quick time, entered our details in the Police Check post and moved on Kaza road.

Signboards

Towards Kaza road.

Venture

Beauty and venture of Indian Tibbet Highway along with Spiti river.

Entry Gate

Riding further few kilometers in nature we reached at Gue Village entry gate which had a narrow road under it going off journey. Straight one was for Kaza and right goes for Gue located at 9 Kms.

Towards Gue

Towards Gue

Towards Gue on isolated landscaped roads.

Five more kilometers..

Five more kilometers.

Gue Village

It was a wondrous ride through the stunning hills and reached Gue village admiring it simultaneously.

Monastery

First view of the Gue monastery from the road, it ignited our excitement.

Bikes

We were in an assumption that monastery was accessible by trekking, but were glad to see that it was motorable up to monastery.

Monastery

Campus

Beauty of monastery and its location.

Mummy

Mummy

Mummy

’Sangha Tenzin Mummy’, he was a Buddhist monk who gave his life meditating almost 550 years ago. After his life he was mummified in a tomb which was later-on discovered in 1975 in an earthquake which unearthed its tomb. Villagers with the help of Army and ITBP they created this monastery and placed his body near it. It is the only Buddhist mummy in the world and that too in a sitting position. His teeth, nails and hairs are still part of his body.

Village

Gue village looks amazing from the monastery, actually village is surrounded by numerous hills. Click the below video which shows the beauty of Gue Village.

ITBP

ITBP forces guarding the village, Gue is located near China border which makes it a sensitive region.

Selfie

A worth selfie with the ITBP guard, a real hero of our motherland.

Bunker

Army Bunkers.

Gang

A group of 15 foreign bikers, they were also on Spiti ride. After five days of ride we saw a bikers group otherwise we were the only ones riding in isolation. We met and greeted them and then left the place for our further journey.

Shades

Shades

Amazing shades of Gue hills.

Return

Return journey to commenced to connect main highway. Check the below video of Royal Enfield Riders.

Weird shapes and designs of hills crafted by nature. A below video describes this beautiful road.

Spiti River

Riding along Spiti river. Check the below video of this beautiful valley.

Gravels Road

A road through the gravels and desert hills.

Yellow Beauty

Yellow Beauty

Fabulous scenes of the ride.

Tabo

Reached Tabo where we stayed for an hour, enjoyed our Lunch and tea at ‘T.Kesang’ restaurant, food was delicious, in-fact best so far in the journey. We explored the hotel, it was a Home Stay cum Restaurant. If you are planning a stay or food in Tabo then remember ‘T.Kesang Home Stay’.

Grouping

We crossed Tabo and halted for a grouping under the signboard.

Towards Sichling

Towards Sichling on Sumdo-Kaza highway. Check the below video of this place.

Milestone

Milestones are always my favorite, framed it too.

Balanced

A big pebble placed naturally on a mud structured pillar, we all were surprised how it would have happened. It’s all cosmic beauty.

Sunrays

We crossed the road which was in the valley and once again we summit ourselves on the hilly roads, from there we experienced the sun rays creating some magical views.

River

Spiti river flowing in the valley. A beautiful video below of this place.

Waterfall

Waterfall

Waterfall

A dual waterfall on the way.

Dhankhar

Dhankhar

Dhankhar

Dhankhar

Further riding few more kilometers after crossing the waterfall bridge road splits, straight goes for Kaza and upper one for Dhankhar village. Going on upper road for 5 Kms put us at Dhankhar village from where entire valley was not less than a stunning view.

Weird Design

Returned to main highway after few minutes of sightseeing.

Carved

Some natural designs and carved hills. Below video describes the beauty of this place.

Beauty

Scenery

Landscape

We kept riding on the verge of Spiti river admiring its magnificent scenes.

Left for Mud village

Straight is for Kaza, left for Mud village through the bridge over Spiti river.

Pin River

Himalayas

Snow Capped

We halted on the bridge for some time waiting sun to get little low. Once slanting rays felled, it automatically created the wondrous sceneries.

Evening

Towards Mud village under beautiful sun rays.

Isolation

A journey in naturally beautified isolation.

Narrow Roads

Narrow roads of rocky mountains, we enjoyed the thrill of riding here.

Pin Valley

While riding we came to a place where road was just beside the Pin River. We derailed our journey and moved on the banks. It was an awesome time that we spent together.

Weird Hills

Weird Hills

Weird Hills

Weird Hills

Some weird hills surrounding the Pin river.

Pin River

It has a rope and trolley to cross the river.

Suspension Bridge

Suspension Bridge

Moving further we saw a wooden suspension bridge, we quickly parked our bikes and tried crossing it. It was not less than a sky diving, it was too shaky while crossing and was like heart coming to mouth.

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

We enjoyed beautiful environment on the other side of the river, it was a spellbound feeling.

Shadow

My shadow 🙂

Moment

Riders moment.

Souvenir

A souvenir on the beach.

Village

Sun was getting low and still we had some distance left for Mud village therefore placed ourselves back on road and moved watching these landscapes.

Cattle

Cattle grazing on the natural architecture.

Natural Architecture

Some more architecture.

Final Rays…

Final rays of the day moving upwards.

Patches

Yellow patches in the valley.

Mud Village

Finally reached Mud village where we found few houses built over the mud hills.

Mother & Child

A local Spiti women with her child looking for something, seems she was returning home from fields.

Partying

We quickly untied our luggage, moved to ‘Pin Parvaty Home Stay’, refreshed and started partying our journey achievements.